12 Changes in 12 Months

New Year's.  Whenever I think of New Years I imagine the resolutions that will be made and broken.  The hopes of making a new me in one year seems ludicrous.  I always start with the absolute best of intentions. But somewhere along the line I break down.  I give in.  To the spending.  To the negativity.  To the nap.  To the doubt.  To the chocolate cake.

But not this year.  Because I've got a blogosphere support group this year.  I've got a group of people I've never met before, but who want to see me succeed.  And there's a bunch of people who I want to see succeed.  Which is what makes this so fantastic.

It's hard to make a list of changes all at once just because it's the first of the year.  So instead in 2012, there is a group of people who are making 12 small changes.  One a month.  All year.  Because 12 small changes can make one big change.

Let's Begin:
January: Workout at LEAST once a week.  Complete physical therapy exercises four times per week.

This may seem like a ridiculously simple change to many people.  But I can be lazy.  And I hate working out.  I hate working out because I'm out of shape and I feel stupid.  (See the Catch-22 there?)  But my family invested in a treadmill, I made a playlist on my iPod and I started.  Today was my first work out in the new year (yes we are 7 days in, but I did it).  And I'm really proud of myself.  I'm exhausted and sweaty as I sit here writing this post because I just walked/ran for 23 minutes, 1.4 miles.  That's amazing for me.  Unheard of really.  And then?  When I was done.  I did my physical therapy exercises which I'd all but given up on.

But this is not okay.  I complain that I don't like my weight, my health, the way I look but I do nothing about it.  I'm in pain from my hips and I don't follow through with the exercises designed to help them.  Stupid.  Yes, I was being stupid.

But with the encouragement from a group of changers, a goal, a determination and a vision of a newer, better, healthier, happier me.  I'm going to try.

(It all began with a tweet, to get the story check out Stephany's post here.  A tweet, a blog post, and then a call.  A call to action.  A call of encouragement.)  (Interested in taking part?  I'd love to follow your progress, so please let me know if you are!)

Follow the progress of all the participants, read updates and posts, and learn more at 12 Changes in 12 Months.

Remember, life is short.  So make mistakes.  

Learn lessons.  Live life the best you can, live it to the fullest. 

 Because many things in life can wait... but The Sunset Won't.